Association of malaria parasite population structure, HLA, and immunological antagonism.
Host-parasite coevolution has been likened to a molecular arms race, with particular parasite genes evolving to evade specific host defenses. Study of the variants of an antigenic epitope of Plasmodium falciparum that induces a cytotoxic T cell response supports this view. In African children with malaria, the variants present are influenced by the presence of a human leukocyte antigen (HLA) type that restricts the immune response to this epitope. The distribution of parasite variants may be further influenced by the ability of cohabiting parasite strains to facilitate each other's survival by down-regulating cellular immune responses, using altered peptide ligand antagonism.
Gilbert
S C
SC
Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Windmill Road, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK.
Plebanski
M
M
Gupta
S
S
Morris
J
J
Cox
M
M
Aidoo
M
M
Kwiatkowski
D
D
Greenwood
B M
BM
Whittle
H C
HC
Hill
A V
AV
D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002648:Child; D000939:Epitopes; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005714:Gambia; D017125:Genes, Protozoan; D014644:Genetic Variation; D015797:HLA-B35 Antigen / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D008954:Models, Biological; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*
D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D000939:Epitopes; D015797:HLA-B35 Antigen; D008024:Ligands; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C041595:circumsporozoite protein, Protozoan